Study Tips and Outline for CS 104 Lecture Test 1

Content: For this test, we have covered the first six chapters plus a small section in chapter 14 from Discovering Computers 2001. Material for the exam can also be taken from the labs. Review your lab handouts, Labs 1 through 4. Reviewing these will also help review for your lab test. Topics covered in lab are listed in second half of this document.

Hints on how to study for the lecture exam.

Thumb through the covered chapters and look for the words in bold. If a term is unfamiliar to you, reread that section. Go to the end of each chapter. There are three important sections at the end of each chapter that will aid in your review. There is an "IN BRIEF" section that provides a summary of the content. Following this section is "KEY TERMS". Make sure that you can define in your own words what the term means. Finally, there is a section labeled CHECKPOINT. Try the CHECKPOINT exercies. In addition, review the lecture slides (your notes).

The following is a list of topics covered for the first five weeks of class.

Topics for CS 104 Lecture Test 1

  • Introduction to CS 104 and Computers
    Reading Assignment: Chapter 1, Introduction to Using Computers
  • The following terms are important to know:
  • computer
  • program
  • software
  • hardware
  • monitor
  • the input processing output storage cycle
  • data vs. information
  • multimedia
  • Computer Applications
  • Productivity Software
  • Word processing
  • Electronic spreadsheet
  • Database
  • Desktop publishing
  • system software - operating system
  • Character = byte = 8 bits
  • digital vs. analog
  • storage capacities
  • (K)kilobyte approx. 1000 bytes
  • (M)megabyte approx. 1000000 bytes
  • (G)gigabyte approx. 1000000000 bytes
  • Ethics
    Reading Assignment: Module 14.23, 14.24 Ethics and the Information Age
  • The following terms are important to know:
  • ethics
  • public domain, shareware, copyright, freeware
  • information accuracy
  • Code of Conduct
  • Ergonomics
    Reading Assignment: Module 4.6 Keyboard Types
  • The following terms are important to know:
  • ergonomics
  • caring for the user
  • caring for the computer
  • Files and Folders
    Reading Assignment: Chapter 2 - Application Software and the WWW (file organization)
  • Media vs hardware
  • Files - data files, types of files, naming
  • popular file extensions
  • folders (directories)
  • bit-character-filed-record-database
  • path
  • root
  • parent directory
  • child directory
  • folder versus directory
  • access (direct, sequential, indexed sequential)
  • Word Processing
    Reading Assignment: Chapter 2 - Application Software and the WWW (word processing)
  • Word processor
  • separating the creation and viewing capability (HTML)
  • cutting and pasting
  • formatting
  • additional features of wp
  • desktop publishing
  • portrait vs landscape
  • clip art
  • cropping
  • monospace or proportional font
  • style sheet
  • kerning
  • Presentation Packages
    Reading Assignment: Chapter 2 - Application Software and the WWW (presentation products)
  • slide
  • templates
  • view options - slide, outline, slide sorter, notes and master
  • different output choices
  • slide layouts
  • transition
  • save as HTML
  • show
  • Hardware
    Reading Assignment: Chapter 3 Hardware
  • ASCII - EBCDIC
  • parity
  • CPU - ALU, Control Unit
  • compatibility
  • data and address bus
  • system clock
  • processor types, CISC and RISC
  • Memory - RAM, ROM, Virtual, Cache
  • motherboard
  • secondary storage - magnetic and optical
  • serial vrs. direct access
  • Memory and Storage
    Reading Assignment: Chapter 6 Storage
  • Memory versus storage
  • access speed
  • formatting - sector, tracks, cluster
  • Hard and floppy disks (densities)
  • head crash
  • partitions
  • hard disk interfaces - SCSI and IDE
  • zip drives - removable
  • Other media
  • magnetic tape
  • optical - types
  • Data In, Information Out
    Reading Assignment: Chapter 4 Input and Chapter 5 Output
  • command line
  • GUI
  • Keyboards - QWERTY
  • mouse and trackball
  • Joystick
  • Pen-based systems
  • data scanning devices
  • voice recognition systems
  • video
  • biological feedback devices
  • haptics
  • monitors - resolution - pixels - video adapters
  • >CRT (cathode ray tube)
  • LCD (liquid crystal display)
  • EL (electroluminescent display)
  • dot pitch, interlaced/noninterlaced, multiscan
  • graphics adapter board
  • output devices, printers and plotters
  • impact and nonimpact printers
  • types
  • Application Software
    Reading Assignment: Chapter 2
  • application software
  • horizontal versus vertical applications
  • compatibility
  • commercial programs, shareware, freeware
  • license
  • beta versions
  • integrated
  • suites
  • Lab 1 - Intro to Windows NT/95/98, email, browsers
  • desktop, wallpaper, icons
  • a window, maximizing, minimizing, closing
  • task bar
  • start button
  • browsers (IE and Netscape)
  • URL
  • email: either web mail or VAX MAIL - the $ prompt
  • executing a program
  • My Computer
  • cascading menus
  • the arrow at the end of an item in a menulist
  • the ... at the end of an item in a menulist
  • Lab 2 - Working with Files in Windows NT/95/98
  • files and folders
  • root
  • Windows Explorer
  • My Computer
  • copy vrs. move ( the plus and minus boxes next to each icon)
  • selecting more than one file
  • finding files or folders - find command
  • formatting a disk
  • deleting files
  • menu -> options or tabs
  • Lab 3 - PowerPoint
  • slides and slide show
  • Word art
  • copy/insert from other sources, (web, other files)
  • moving, deleting slides
  • saving on your diskette!
  • Lab 4 - Word 2000
    Reading Assignment: WD 1.1 - WD 1.58
  • doc
  • new document
  • Save versus Save As
  • Save as HTML
  • Insertion point
  • Insertion or Overstrike mode
  • Insert graphics
  • What is a paragraph